Challenging Conditions in Customer Industries Due to Consumer Frugality and Persistently High Labor Costs
First written in FY2017-Q1. 13 of 37 entries say "Restated". Latest entry: FY2027-H1.
Maruzen moved to the "Worse" side of this theme in 2016, 4 years before the typical company in this theme (2020).
The whole theme swung hardest in 2020: 6 of 9 companies on the "Worse" side.
0 other companies' latest entry also says "Reframed".
- FY2027-H1ReframedAnnual report
「The food-service industry, one of our Group's major customer industries, showed signs that the decline in consumer sentiment had bottomed out. However, consumers' preference for lower prices amid rising prices remained firmly entrenched, while labor shortages also persisted. Conditions therefore varied by business type and format, including the prepared-food industry, and remained difficult to predict.」
While identifying the bottoming out of consumer sentiment as a factor supporting recovery, the disclosure cites consumers' preference for lower prices amid rising prices and labor shortages as factors contributing to the challenging conditions in customer industries. - 2026-07-10ReframedEarnings
「There are concerns that customer traffic may stagnate as rapidly rising prices encourage frugality. Combined with the serious labor shortage, conditions continue to vary by industry and business format, including the prepared-foods industry, and remain difficult to predict.」
In addition to the existing trends toward frugality and the labor shortage, the company cited concerns over sluggish customer traffic due to rapidly rising prices and differences in conditions by industry and business format, including the prepared-foods industry. - FY2026ReframedAnnual report
「Although inbound demand in the foodservice industry remains firm, the number of Chinese visitors to Japan has fallen sharply. Conditions vary by industry and business format, including the prepared-food industry, and remain uncertain due to customers' increasing cost-consciousness amid broad-based price increases and the impact of severe labor shortages.」
While acknowledging the firmness of inbound demand, the sharp decline in Chinese visitors to Japan, customers' cost-consciousness and severe labor shortages are explicitly identified as new challenges in the customer industries. - 2026-04-10ReframedEarnings
「Inbound demand remains solid, but the number of visitors to Japan from China has fallen sharply. In addition, customers are becoming more inclined to economize amid rising prices, and the effects of a serious labor shortage remain evident. Conditions therefore continue to vary considerably by industry and business format, including the prepared-foods industry, and remain too difficult to permit optimism.」
While maintaining its description of solid inbound demand, the company newly highlighted the sharp decline in visitors to Japan from China and emphasized the varying and challenging conditions across customer industries. - FY2026-H1ReframedAnnual report
「Although inbound demand in the foodservice industry remains firm, conditions vary by industry and business format, including the prepared-food industry, and remain uncertain due to customers' increasing cost-consciousness amid broad-based price increases, rising expenses including logistics costs, and the impact of severe labor shortages.」
While acknowledging the firmness of inbound demand, rising expenses including logistics costs, customers' cost-consciousness and severe labor shortages are explicitly identified as factors contributing to difficult conditions in the customer industries. - FY2025RestatedAnnual report
「Conditions have remained firm due to the recovery in people flows and the effects of inbound demand. However, conditions vary by industry and business format, including the prepared-food industry, as customers are becoming more cost-conscious and price-sensitive amid rising prices across the board and the impact of severe labor shortages continues. Conditions remain uncertain.」
While acknowledging the firmness resulting from the recovery in people flows and inbound demand in the foodservice industry, the explanation continues to state that difficult conditions remain by industry and business format due to customers' cost-consciousness and price sensitivity and severe labor shortages. - FY2025-H1RestatedAnnual report
「Conditions are on an improving trend due to the recovery in people flows and the effects of inbound demand. However, conditions vary by industry and business format, including the prepared-food industry, as customers are becoming more cost-conscious and price-sensitive amid rising prices across the board and the impact of severe labor shortages continues. Conditions remain uncertain.」
While acknowledging the recovery in people flows and inbound demand in the foodservice industry, it is stated that difficult conditions by industry and business format continue due to rising customer cost-consciousness and price sensitivity and severe labor shortages. - FY2025-Q1ReframedAnnual report
「The foodservice industry, one of the major customer industries of our Group, is on an improving trend due to the recovery in people flows and inbound demand. However, conditions vary by industry and business format, including the prepared-food industry, as customers are becoming more cost-conscious and price-sensitive amid rising prices across the board and the impact of severe labor shortages continues. Conditions remain uncertain.」
While acknowledging the improvement in the foodservice industry from the recovery in people flows and inbound demand, severe labor shortages and the increase in cost-consciousness and price sensitivity accompanying broad-based price increases are identified as new factors contributing to difficult conditions. - FY2024-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「In the foodservice industry, one of the major customer industries of our Group, business conditions have improved substantially as people resumed consumer activity and travel and inbound demand from foreign tourists recovered. Meanwhile, in the prepared-food industry, conditions vary by industry and business format, with customers becoming more cost-conscious amid soaring utility and raw-material costs.」
The differences by industry, namely the recovery of the foodservice industry versus higher costs and cost-consciousness in the prepared-food industry, continue to be described as in the previous quarter. - FY2024-Q2ReframedAnnual report
「In the foodservice industry, one of the major customer industries of our Group, business conditions have improved substantially as people resumed consumer activity and travel and inbound demand from foreign tourists increased. Meanwhile, in the prepared-food industry, conditions vary by industry and business format, with customers becoming more cost-conscious amid soaring utility and raw-material costs.」
Business conditions in the foodservice industry improved substantially due to the recovery in people flows and inbound demand, while soaring utility and raw-material costs and customers' cost-consciousness were noted in the prepared-food industry, clarifying the differences among the customer industries. - FY2024-Q1ReframedAnnual report
「Customer traffic in the foodservice and prepared-food industries, which are major customers of our Group, has begun to return as people resumed consumer activity and travel, and the number of foreign tourists also trended upward. However, conditions remain uncertain due to soaring utility and raw-material costs and the impact of labor shortages.」
Although customer traffic is gradually returning as people resume travel and other activities and foreign tourists return, soaring utility and raw-material costs and labor shortages continue to make conditions difficult in the customer industries. - FY2023-Q3ReframedAnnual report
「In the foodservice industry, one of the major customer industries of our Group, customer traffic showed signs of recovery because movement restrictions were not imposed even when COVID-19 infections increased. However, the industry's surrounding environment remains challenging due to soaring raw-material prices and utility costs and rising labor costs.」
Although a recovery trend in customer traffic due to the absence of movement restrictions was indicated, rising raw-material prices, utility costs and labor costs were newly specified, changing the factors contributing to the difficult conditions in the customer industries. - FY2023-Q2WorsenedAnnual report
「Customer traffic in the foodservice and prepared-food industries, which are major customers of our Group, had gradually begun to return following the lifting of quasi-emergency measures in March, but sales turned downward as the seventh wave spread rapidly. Although a living-with-COVID approach was seen, including the absence of government restrictions on movement during the seventh wave, the end of various support payments and soaring material prices have left the industry's surrounding environment unpredictable.」
Customer traffic, which had been returning after operating restrictions were lifted, shifted to a downward sales trend due to the seventh wave. The end of support payments and soaring material prices further worsened the challenging environment in the customer industries. - FY2023-Q1SoftenedAnnual report
「Although customer traffic in the foodservice and prepared-food industries, which are major customers of our Group, has gradually begun to return following the lifting of quasi-emergency measures and the removal of operating restrictions at restaurants and other establishments, the impact of COVID-19 has not disappeared entirely, and inbound demand has yet to recover as entry restrictions remain in place. Meanwhile, demand for takeout and delivery services, which grew during the pandemic, has remained resilient, and supermarkets and other businesses have also remained firm.」
Customer traffic is gradually returning following the removal of operating restrictions, while demand for takeout and delivery services and supermarkets are considered firm, adding easing factors to the overall environment in the customer industries. Meanwhile, the impact of COVID-19 and the lack of recovery in inbound demand continue. - FY2022WorsenedAnnual report
「The foodservice and prepared-food industries, which are major customers of our Group, saw sales in the foodservice and lodging markets fall substantially and store closures increase due to COVID-19, voluntary suspension of operations and reduced business hours at restaurants, requests to refrain from going out, weakened consumer sentiment and the disappearance of inbound tourism.」
In addition to declining sales in the foodservice and lodging markets, an increase in store closures was described as the actual state of the customer industries for the full fiscal year. - FY2022-Q3SoftenedAnnual report
「The foodservice industry, one of the major customer industries of our Group, continued to see sales decline in the foodservice market due to requests to refrain from going out and the disappearance of inbound tourism caused by COVID-19, as well as shortened business hours, requests to suspend operations and requests to prohibit alcohol sales at restaurants and other establishments. However, various restrictions have gradually been eased following the lifting of the state of emergency, and signs of recovery have emerged in some areas. Meanwhile, sales increased in takeout and delivery services in the prepared-food industry, but the overall environment remained extremely challenging, with the impact varying by industry and business format.」
Although declining sales in the foodservice market and the challenging environment across the customer industries continued, signs of partial recovery accompanying the easing of restrictions and increased takeout and delivery sales in the prepared-food industry were noted. - FY2022-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「The foodservice industry, one of the major customer industries of our Group, continued to see sales decline in the foodservice market due to requests to refrain from going out and the disappearance of inbound tourism caused by COVID-19, as well as shortened business hours, requests to suspend operations and requests to prohibit alcohol sales at restaurants and other establishments. Meanwhile, in the prepared-food industry, sales increased at supermarkets, in takeout and in delivery services. Although the impact varied by industry and business format, the overall environment remained extremely challenging.」
The customer industries as a whole continued to face an extremely challenging environment, with sales declining in the foodservice market while sales increased in some prepared-food business formats, reflecting differences by industry and business format. - FY2022-Q1WorsenedAnnual report
「In addition to requests to refrain from going out and the disappearance of inbound tourism due to COVID-19, a state of emergency and quasi-emergency measures to prevent the spread of disease were issued. As a result, sales in the foodservice and lodging markets continued to decline due to shortened business hours, requests to suspend operations and requests to prohibit alcohol sales at restaurants and other establishments.」
In addition to requests to refrain from going out and the disappearance of inbound tourism, shortened business hours, requests to suspend operations and requests to prohibit alcohol sales under states of emergency and other measures were added, and sales in the foodservice and lodging markets continued to decline. - FY2021WorsenedAnnual report
「Sales in the foodservice and lodging markets fell substantially, and store closures increased, due to voluntary suspension of operations and reduced business hours at restaurants, requests to refrain from going out, weakened consumer sentiment and the disappearance of inbound tourism.」
It is stated that declining sales in the foodservice and lodging markets and an increase in store closures actually occurred due to voluntary suspension of operations, reduced business hours, requests to refrain from going out, weakened consumer sentiment and the disappearance of inbound tourism. - FY2021-Q3SoftenedAnnual report
「Although some recovery in personal consumption was seen as economic activity resumed, the outlook remains uncertain and conditions continue to be difficult. Meanwhile, the impact varies by industry and business format, with sales increasing at supermarkets, in takeout and in delivery services, but the overall environment remains extremely challenging.」
Some recovery in personal consumption and increased sales at supermarkets, in takeout and in delivery services were noted as easing factors. Meanwhile, declining sales in the foodservice and lodging markets and the challenging environment across the customer industries continue. - FY2021-Q2WorsenedAnnual report
「The foodservice and prepared-food industries, which are also major customers of our Group, have faced extremely difficult conditions, as sales in the foodservice and lodging markets have continued to fall sharply due to COVID-19, voluntary suspension of operations and reduced business hours at restaurants, requests to refrain from going out, weakened consumer sentiment and the disappearance of inbound tourism. Meanwhile, the impact varies by industry and business format, with sales increasing at supermarkets, in takeout and in delivery services, but the overall environment remains extremely challenging.」
Sales in the foodservice and lodging markets have continued to fall sharply due to voluntary suspension of operations, reduced business hours, requests to refrain from going out, weakened consumer sentiment and the disappearance of inbound tourism, while the overall customer industries continue to face an extremely challenging environment. - FY2021-Q1WorsenedAnnual report
「The foodservice and prepared-food industries, which are also major customers of our Group, have faced difficult conditions as sales in the foodservice and lodging markets have fallen sharply due to requests to refrain from going out and to shorten business hours to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Although the impact varies by industry and business format, with sales increasing at supermarkets and in delivery services, the overall environment remains extremely challenging.」
Sales in the foodservice and lodging markets fell sharply due to requests to refrain from going out and to shorten business hours, and the overall customer industries were described as continuing to face an extremely challenging environment. - FY2020WorsenedAnnual report
「In the foodservice and prepared-food markets, our principal sales markets, the impact varies by industry and business format, with sales declining at restaurants and lodging facilities while sales increased at supermarkets and through various delivery services due to the spread of COVID-19. Overall, however, conditions have become challenging.」
In addition to the previous cost-consciousness, labor shortages and rising labor and raw-material costs, the overall customer industries were explicitly described as facing difficult conditions due to the spread of COVID-19. - FY2020-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「The foodservice and prepared-food industries, which are major customers of our Group, continue to face a challenging operating environment due to rising labor costs caused by labor shortages and other factors and rising raw-material prices. However, the market has remained firm, supported by the One Hundred Million Active Society Plan and the revitalization of the lodging and foodservice markets through inbound tourism.」
The challenging conditions in the customer industries caused by labor shortages, rising labor costs and rising raw-material prices continue to be described. Meanwhile, the market is considered firm, supported by the One Hundred Million Active Society Plan and inbound tourism. - FY2020-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「The foodservice and prepared-food industries, which are major customers of our Group, have benefited from growth in the foodservice and prepared-food markets accompanying the increase in dual-income households under the One Hundred Million Active Society Plan and from the revitalization of the lodging and foodservice markets through inbound tourism. On the other hand, a challenging operating environment continues due to labor shortages, rising labor and raw-material costs, and consumers' cost-consciousness.」
Positive factors such as growth in the foodservice and prepared-food markets and the effects of inbound tourism are cited, while the challenging environment caused by labor shortages, rising labor and raw-material costs, and consumers' cost-consciousness continues to be described. - FY2020-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「The foodservice and prepared-food industries, which are major customers of our Group, benefited from positive factors under the One Hundred Million Active Society Plan, including growth in the foodservice and prepared-food markets accompanying the increase in dual-income households, the expansion of social-welfare facilities for childcare support and the super-aging society, and the revitalization of the lodging and foodservice markets from inbound tourism. However, rising labor and raw-material costs resulted in a challenging operating environment.」
Positive factors such as growth in the foodservice and prepared-food markets and the effects of inbound tourism are cited, while the challenging operating environment caused by rising labor and raw-material costs continues to be described. - FY2019RestatedAnnual report
「The foodservice and prepared-food industries, our major customers, continue to face a challenging operating environment due to rising labor and raw-material prices caused by labor shortages and other factors. However, growth in the prepared-food market accompanying the increase in dual-income households, the expansion of social-welfare facilities for childcare support and the super-aging society, and the revitalization of the lodging and foodservice markets from increasing inbound tourism have kept the overall market slightly above the previous year.」
The difficult conditions caused by labor shortages and rising labor and raw-material prices, as well as the overall market's resilience, continue to be described. - FY2019-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「The foodservice and prepared-food industries, which are also major customers of our Group, continue to face a challenging operating environment due to rising labor and raw-material prices. However, under the One Hundred Million Active Society Plan, growth in the foodservice and prepared-food markets accompanying the increase in dual-income households, the expansion of social-welfare facilities for childcare support and the super-aging society, and the revitalization of the lodging and foodservice markets from inbound tourism have kept the market firm.」
Although difficult conditions in the customer industries due to rising labor costs and raw-material prices continue, the market is described as firm, supported by growth in the foodservice and prepared-food markets, the expansion of social-welfare facilities and inbound tourism. - FY2019-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「The foodservice and prepared-food industries, which are also major customers of our Group, continue to face a challenging operating environment due to rising labor and raw-material costs. However, under the One Hundred Million Active Society Plan, growth in the foodservice and prepared-food markets accompanying the increase in dual-income households, the expansion of social-welfare facilities for childcare support and the super-aging society, and the revitalization of the lodging and foodservice markets from inbound tourism have kept the market firm.」
Although difficult conditions in the customer industries due to rising labor and raw-material costs continue, the market is described as firm, supported by growth in the foodservice and prepared-food markets and inbound tourism. - FY2019-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「The foodservice and prepared-food industries, which are also major customers of our Group, continue to face a challenging operating environment due to rising labor and raw-material costs. However, under the One Hundred Million Active Society Plan, growth in the foodservice and prepared-food markets accompanying the increase in dual-income households and the expansion of social-welfare facilities for childcare support and the super-aging society, together with the revitalization of the lodging and foodservice markets from inbound tourism, have kept the market firm.」
Although difficult conditions in the customer industries due to rising labor and raw-material costs continue, the market is described as firm, supported by growth in the foodservice and prepared-food markets and inbound tourism. - FY2018WorsenedAnnual report
「The foodservice, prepared-food and bakery industries, which are major customers of our Group, continue to face a challenging operating environment due to labor shortages, rising labor and raw-material costs and other factors. However, the overall market has remained firm, driven by lifestyle changes such as the declining birthrate and aging population and the increasing participation of women in the workforce, as well as inbound tourism.」
Rising raw-material costs were explicitly added to labor shortages and rising labor costs as factors contributing to difficult conditions in the customer industries. Meanwhile, the overall market is described as firm, supported by lifestyle changes and inbound tourism. - FY2018-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「Although the foodservice, prepared-food and bakery industries, which are major customers of our Group, continue to face challenges such as prolonged consumer cost-consciousness and rising labor costs due to labor shortages, the overall market has remained firm, supported in part by inbound tourism.」
Although difficult conditions in the customer industries due to consumer cost-consciousness, labor shortages and rising labor costs continue, the overall market is described as firm, supported by inbound tourism and other factors. - FY2018-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「Although the foodservice, prepared-food and bakery industries, which are major customers of our Group, continue to face challenges such as prolonged consumer cost-consciousness and rising labor costs due to labor shortages, the overall market has remained firm, supported in part by inbound tourism.」
Although difficult conditions in the customer industries due to prolonged cost-consciousness, labor shortages and rising labor costs continue, the overall market is described as firm, supported by inbound tourism and other factors. - FY2018-Q1SoftenedAnnual report
「Although the foodservice, prepared-food and bakery industries, which are major customers of our Group, continue to face challenges such as prolonged consumer cost-consciousness and rising labor costs due to labor shortages, the overall market has remained firm, exceeding the previous year.」
Although cost-consciousness, labor shortages and rising labor costs continue, the overall market is reported to be firm and above the previous year, adding some easing factors to conditions in the customer industries. - FY2017WorsenedAnnual report
「The foodservice, food-to-go and commercial baking industries, which are major customers of our Group, are being forced to operate in a challenging environment, with consumers still strongly focused on saving, labour shortages becoming severe and labour costs rising.」
The filing states that labour shortages have become “severe” and labour costs are rising while consumers remain focused on saving, providing further detail on the challenging environment facing customer industries. - FY2017-Q2WorsenedAnnual report
「The foodservice, food-to-go and commercial baking industries, which are major customers of our Group, continue to face a challenging operating environment, with consumers remaining strongly focused on saving, while rising labour costs and labour shortages have also become apparent.」
In addition to persistently high labour costs, the filing cites rising labour costs and increasingly apparent labour shortages, indicating that the factors contributing to the challenging environment in customer industries have intensified. - FY2017-Q1First statedAnnual report
「The foodservice, food-to-go and commercial baking industries, which are major customers of our Group, continue to face a challenging operating environment, with consumers remaining strongly focused on saving and labour costs remaining high.」
The filing describes the business environment for the foodservice, food-to-go and commercial baking industries, which are major customers, as continuing to be challenging.